For the second year in a row, May was 'outreach month' at Eden. Every service was planned with non-churchgoers in mind, and numerous other events were organised and staged. The Lord Jesus calls us to be his witnesses, and May was an opportunity for many in the church to put that into practice through inviting their friends to come along to Eden.
The first two Sundays in May saw four sermons from Julian and three baptisms, as well as people sharing about the difference Jesus Christ had made in their lives. A service for international guests took place on the morning of the third Sunday, with an 'Any Questions?' panel discussion in the evening. And on the final Sunday, a family service in the morning and an evening focusing on Cambridge's Christian heritage brought the formal part of May to a close.
There were many highlights during the month, and most of the experiments we tried seemed to work very well. Throughout, there was a sense of excitement and of God at work, and we can continue to pray that he would work in the lives of the many who came to Eden during May.
And now what? A couple of Christianity Explored courses are in the offing, and no doubt many good conversations took place with friends after the events. But the challenge of May for me, and for many others I'm sure, was what should I be doing to share the good news of God's forgiveness with my friends? The month of May brought many opportunities to tell people the gospel, but there' no telling what God will do as we grow in boldness and faithfulness as a church in the years ahead. Eden's second 'May' was, under God, another success. Now is the time to get ready for next year.